NewsGate Press Network

Both ‘raksha mantri’ the defence minister and ‘raksha sachiv’ the defence secretary had very busy day ahead of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar on Monday the 17th of October 2022.

Both of them held series of meeting with stake holders while giving final shape to largest ever exhibition on defence industry held in India.

This years DefExpo is coinciding with all important India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) meeting.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings  with his counterparts from AFRICA who are attending the IADD and the DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

In the course of the meetings, the RM met with Major General Hanana Ould Sidi, Defence Minister of  Mauritania; Rameaux-Claude Bireau, Defence Minister of Central African Republic; Sering Modou Njie Defence Minister of  Gambia; Mr Dominic Aduna Bingab Nitiwul Defence Minister of  Republic of Ghana; Dr. Abraham Belay Defence Minister of  Republic of Ethiopia and Mrs Janine Tatiana Santos Lelis Defence Minister of  Republic of Cabo Verde. 

The entire spectrum of defence cooperation was discussed during the meetings, with focus on identifying avenues to expand mutually beneficial collaboration. 

On October 18, 2022, Rajnath will host the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) in Gandhinagar. Defence cooperation is between India and the African countries will be discussed during the meeting. A joint declaration will be issued after the dialogue.

While the defence minister was busy meeting his counterparts from the African continent, the defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar conducted a series of bilateral meetings with visiting dignitaries from friendly foreign countries prior to DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

He held a bilateral meeting with Mr Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, State Minister for Defence, Sri Lanka.

They discussed a host of ongoing and future defence cooperation issues. 

The Defence Secretary also met Mr Devendre Gopaul, Permanent Secretary, Mauritius. A number of key bilateral, defence and maritime security issues were deliberated during the meeting. Another bilateral meeting with the United Arab Emirates delegation led by Mr Matar Salem Ali Marran Aldhaheri, Defence Secretary, UAE was held. They reviewed the existing defence cooperation mechanisms and explored the possibilities of furthering defence industrial cooperation between India and UAE.

Dr Ajay Kumar later met a Brazilian delegation led by Rear Admiral Vagner Belarmino De Oliveira, Director, Department of Defence Products. They discussed areas of potential defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. 

The delegations are in Gandhinagar to participate in DefExpo 2022 which will be held between October 18-22, 2022.